Strip punching machine



July 1940- H. B. LINDSAY ET AL 2,209,407

STRIP PUNCHING MACHINE Filed Jan. 20, 1940 w INVENTORS.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 30, 1940 2.20am: STRIP rUNonmo momma Harvey B. Lindsay and0. Hunter Hndsay,

Evanston, Ill., assignors to Dry-Zero Corporation, Chicago, 111., acorporation of Illinois Application January 20, 1940, Serial No. 314,742

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in multiple punch presses andsimilar machines for forming holes, cuts, indentations or similaroperations in metal strips, bars, plates or the like,

5 in which machines a plurality of individual punch cages or liketool-supporting structures are mounted for adjustment along the frame ofthe machine so as to produce a plurality of such holes or effectssimultaneously at predetermined,

exactly spaced intervals.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved lockingmechanism for the several cages which will permit quick readjustmentthereof, and insure a precise positioning of such 5 cages at the desiredspaced intervals, without necessitating accurate measurment whenever thecages are reset at different intervals.

As heretofore constructed, multiple punch presses of the character abovementioned have usually included an elongated base frame on.

which is mounted a number of individual punch cages, commonly referredto as strippits", eacl carrying both male and female parts of the punchand all arranged for simultaneous operation by 26 a single elongatedpresser bar. The cages have been slidable along the base frame foradjustment as to lateral spacing and are held in position by clampingbars frictionally engaged therewith. In practice, the spacings usually30 vary by a certain standard unitary length, as for instance by inch,or multiples thereof. In order to set the cages at the exact spacingdesired,

very careful measurement has to be made for each cage before clamping itin place. Moreover,

85 when the clamping bar is removed for adjustment of one cage, adjacentcages are likely to become misplaced from their proper positions.

In carrying out our invention, we provide an improved construction andarrangement of locking mechanism including a channeled rail memberprovided with a continuous toothed surface adapted to intermesh withopposed toothed members carried by the cages, the distance betweenadjacent teeth having the same unitary and exact distance betweencenters. The arrangement is such that the cages can be given but-a roughpreliminary adjustment along the frame and finally brought automaticallyinto exact spaced relationship by the locking movement of a clamping barforming one side of the channeled rail.

The invention may best be understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawing, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a multiple pressconstructed in accordance with our invention.

5 Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a metal strip of the kind that may beoperated upon by the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fi 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view, in perspective, of a cagebase and clamping bar for looking it in place.

Fig. 4 is a detail transverse-section of the base frame, showing a cagein locked position thereon.

Referring now to details of the embodiment of our invention illustratedin the drawing, II indicates generally the frame of a punch press hav-1' ing a channeled rail member ll along which is mounted a plurality ofindividual cages or strippits l2, l2 all adapted to be operatedsimultaneously by a presser bar ll. As herein shown, each cage includesa base I! and male and female punch members It and II, respectively.Further details of construction of the cages need not be describedherein, as they may take any form suitable for the general purpose ofthe machine, namely, that of producing a plurality of 80 holes in astrip of steel or the like at predetermined spaced intervals. Such astrip of steel is indicated at 20 in Fig. 2, having holes 2|, 2| formedtherealong. Suitable drilling devices may also be used on the machineinstead of the punch 25 members, if desired.

Referring now more particularly to the means for locking the cages inplace along the rail member II, the base of each strippit is providedwith a retaining flange 24 adapted to flt'beneath an 80 overhangingshoulder 2!, herein formed along the rigid side member I I of thechanneled rail member ll. At the opposite side of each strippit base isprovided one or more tapered, or vshaped teeth 26, 26, herein shown astwo innumas ber, rigid with said base and projecting in positionto haveexact fitting engagement when internieshed with correspondingly shapedteeth 21, 2l-lijerein formed continuously along and rigid with-aclamping bar 20 which forms a movable 40 side member of the rail memberII. The latter bar extends along the front of the channeled portion ofrail II and is detachably secured to said" rail by suitable meansarranged to force the cooperating teeth 28 and 21 toward each other. 4.5when the bar is secured in fully locked position shown in Fig. 4. In theform shown herein, the bar 20 has a depending flange 29 adapted toextend downwardly along the front of the rail II, and is secured to thelatter by a plurality of bolts ll, 30. The bar 28 may be of a. singlepiece to extend the full length of the rail H, or may be made up ofseveral sections, as desired.

It will be understood that as an alternative structure the locking teethin the channel rail l5 member H may be formed in the rigid side memberll instead of on the movable clamping bar.

or teeth may be formed on both the rigid and movable sidemembers, inwhich latter case the ,cage basewould have cor-responding teeth both atfront and rear. In any case, however, the. movable clamping barwould'serve to force the .co-operating teeth into intermeshing engagement whenthe movable side member forming the clamping bar is secured in fullylocked position. 1 The use and operation of our improved form of lockingmechanism will now be understood. The valleys of the teeth 21, 2'! onthe clamping bar are identical in shape and are spaced apart exactly theminimum unitary distance desired, as for instance, on inch centers.Similarly,

' the apexes of the co-operating teeth 26 on cage bases l are spaced thesame centers, or multiples thereof, herein one inch apart, since anintermediate toothhas been omitted to allow for excessive accumulationsof dirt, filings, etc., on the rail seat. The arrangement is such thatwhen the clamping bar 28 is loosened, one or more cages can be slidalong the rail II to any new station desired, and given but a roughsetting in its new position, that is to say, within /4 of an inch ineither direction from the exact setting desired. Thereafter, theclamping bar is drawn into locking position by the bolts 30, and the-intermeshed wedge-shaped teeth 26 and 2! will automatically cause thecage to be brought into the exact spaced setting required. In thismanner, any visual need of accurate measurementand placement is entirelyeliminated, and the strippits can be locked in positions of extremeaccuracy,

easily and speedily. As a result, we find it possible to reduce the timeof readjusting the strippits to a mere fraction of that required withprevious methods, and with far greater accuracy than has heretofore beenconsidered attainable.

In order to afford further means for clearance of dirt, filings andsimilar particles from between the co-operating teeth, it will be notedthatthe rail 29 is undercut by a groove 31 formed along the bottom ofthe teeth 21, and a similar groove32 is out along the bottom of the cagebase l5 beneath the teeth 26.

Although we have shown and described one particular embodiment of ourinvention, it will be understood that we do not wish to be limited tothe exact construction shown and described, but that various changes andmodifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofour invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a multiple tool machine, a base rail, a plurality of tool cagesadjustable therealong in independently selective spaced relation to each1 other, said cageshaving tapered teeth carried rigidly thereon, aclamping bar having opposed co-operating tapered teeth formedcontinuously therealong on centers of predetermined equal intervals, andmeans for applying said clamping 1 bar to said base rail in a directionto intermesh said opposed teeth and cause each of said cages to beaccurately positioned at one of said predetermined intervals along saidrail by the wedging action of said teeth when said clamping bar is movedinto locking position.

2. In combination with a multiple punch press, having a base rail, aplurality of punch cages' slidably adjustable in independently selectivespaced relation therealong, and a presser bar for' operating said punchcages simultaneously, locking means for said .cages comprising aclamping bar having a plurality of rigidly mounted V- shaped teethspaced continuously therealong on centers or predetermined equalintervals, opposed co-operating V-shaped teeth rigidly mounted on saidcages, and means for detachably securing said clamping bar to said railwith said opposed teeth in intermeshing engagement, and arranged tocause each of said cages to be accurately positioned at one of saidpredetermined intervals by the wedging action of said teeth.

3.1!) a multiple tool'machine, a base rail having opposed side membersforming a channel, one of which side members is movable toward and awayfrom the other, a plurality of tool cages adjustable in spaced relationalong said channel, said cages having tapered teeth carried thereon, andone of said side members having opposed cooperating teeth formedcontinuously therealong,

ing said punch cages simultaneously, said base rail having opposed sidemembers forming a channel, one of which side members forms a lookingmeans for a plurality of said cages movable toward and away from theother side member, said cages having tapered teeth carried rigidlythereon, and one of said side members having cooperating tapered teethformed continuously therealong on centers of predetermined equalintervals whereby the locking movement of said movable side member willcause each of said cages to be accurately positioned at one of saidequally spaced intervals by the wedging action of the opposedco-operating teeth on the cages and side member.

5. In a multiple tool machine, a base rail having opposed side membersforming a channel, one of which members is movable toward and away fromthe other, a plurality of tool holders optionally slidable independentlyof each other along said channel and having tapered teeth extendingtoward one of said side members, such matically positioned in accuratelyspaced rela'- tionship with each other at one of said predeterminedspaced intervals.

I-IARVEY B. LINDSAY. c. HUNTER LINDSAY.

